The popularity of live chat applications on communications systems keeps growing. In live chat applications users can transmit messages to each other, such that one user may send several messages before receiving a response. Typically, users use input fields of user interfaces generated on displays of user devices to compose messages using chat applications. A situation that frequently occurs in chat conversations is that a new message arrives while a user is busy using an input field to compose a further message. The newly received message may include new information or a pressing question that requires the user's immediate response. In this situation the user may want to respond to the received message but have the option of continuing to compose the incomplete message after responding to the new message. In a typical chat application handling this situation requires the user to select then copy the incomplete message (e.g. by copying to the clipboard) and paste it back into the input field after replying to the new message. This solution, however, requires multiple interactions that are particularly cumbersome to perform on a mobile electronic device having a small input device and/or display due to size limitations. Moreover, during the act of responding to the new message the incomplete message may be deleted. For example, copying a Web URL or an image to the clipboard as part of responding to the new message may overwrite the incomplete message.
Some chat applications provide the option to save drafts of unsent and incomplete messages. Yet, the process of retrieving these drafts is usually outside the user interface of the live chat. Moreover, it is difficult for the chat applications to determine the reason why an unsent message was not sent.
For these and other reasons, it is desired to have a solution that addresses the need to temporarily suspend composition of messages. A solution that is integral with a live chat application and that improves the flow of a live chat conversation is desirable.